The Start of a New Spring
by Tri Anh Pham
Summary: The Longs and their friends are taking a holiday in the city of Hue, Vietnam. As they run into two old foes who are willing to make their life miserable, their foes' threats has brought the attention of four police officers, who will give these two a hard lesson of respecting others. (A Lunar New Year 2020 Special)


**Hello again. With only 4 days to the Lunar New Year, I am thinking of writing a Lunar New Year fanfiction special, and so here it is. For those who are of East Asian descent, this will be a gateway to the New Spring. This special is inspired by my first trip to the city of Hue on July 2019.**

**So, if anyone hadn't gone to Hue, then I suggest that you should all go there and see for yourself.**

**Also, there are going to be some Vietnamese words in it, so, as usual, I am going to translate it to English for you.**

**And this is going to be the first appearance of Eclipse Global Task Force UN, the military organization that I have created long before I joined . They are only mentioned in this story, but after this, I will fully focus creating the series based around the task force.**

**All characters in this story are respectively belonged to the owners.**

**American Dragon: Jake Long – Jeff Goode**

**So, please enjoy and Happy Lunar New Year 2020!**

January 24th, 2020 – 23:55 – Hue, Thua Thien – Hue Province, Vietnam

The city of Hue. The city that retains its everlasting imperial color that can be expressed through its historical sites, its nature and its people. It has survived through its homeland's tumultuous times from its formation, the final Vietnamese dynasty – the Nguyen, to the French colonial era and the Vietnam War, the war that left most of the entire city reduced to ashes.

But, from the ashes of the bloodiest conflict in history, the city and its inhabitants rose from the terror of war and rebuilt their beloved hometown, thus bringing it back to where the most of the entire city originally stood. It is now one of the only few cities in the country that embraces the modern way of life while preserving its distinctively royal images, both within and beyond.

It is now the Vietnamese Lunar New Year's Eve, just about 5 minutes away until the celebration of the new Year of the Mouse. The city's inhabitants are now flocking towards the East Bank of the Perfume River to watch the grand firework display show that is taking place at the West Bank of the river, in the Old City sector. Among those who come to the wooden walkway on the East Bank are Jake Long and his family with his Chinese grandfather Luong Lao Shi and his animal guardian Fu Dog, his two best friends Trixie Carter and Arthur Spudinski, and his girlfriend Rose.

It has been 2 days since their arrival in Hue with the intention of spending their Spring Break. The entire plan was suggested Jake's father, Jonathan Long as he wanted to explore another country which put dragons as the prime symbol of East Asian culture. Since then, they had visited many historical sites such as the Imperial Citadel, the Pagoda of Celestial Lady, and the tombs of the late Nguyen Emperors. But the Lunar New Year's Eve Firework Show is the one event that they must not miss to witness it all.

"Sorry about pulling you guys out before hitting the beds, fellas. But my dad said that tonight's firework show is truly something spectacular." Jake Long apologized to his two friends and his girlfriend.

"Well, that's okay, Jakie. I know that the New Year's Eve Firework Show back at New York City is amazing, but two firework shows on the same month is truly something that I've never thought before." Trixie sincerely said.

"Yeah dude! Besides, it is actually a perfect time to change the scenery for a while." Arthur agreed.

"They are right, Jake. The fact that two firework shows on the same month this year is truly out of this world, and it is a good time to get out and explore the world more." Rose also agreed.

"Thanks guys. Well, we better hurry up now, the firework show is going to start in 5 minutes." Jake said.

"Come on kids! It is going to start now. You don't want to miss the entire thing." Jonathan shouted.

They are now on the river's East Bank wooden walkways as it is the perfect spot to watch the fireworks. They quickly gather around and then watch across the river, waiting for the first spark to ignite. But as they stand and wait, they are startled by a voice. The voice that they don't want to hear it for many reasons.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? The whole group of Losers come here just to watch some firework show. Am I right, dad?"

They turn around and realize that the voice comes from two people they don't want to meet, Brad Morton and his father, who is a police officer in New York.

"Oh great. It's Brad Morton and his dad again." Jake sighed with the nod from his father and his friends.

"You're right, son. We finally meet again, Jonathan Long."

"Morton. What do you want this time? Picking on me, my family and my son's friends?!"

"Yeah, that's right! Didn't the whole "staying at the 8th grade" thing teach you a lesson about not picking on somebody, especially the teachers?" Rose angrily questioned Brad as he, as usual, tries in vain to woo her.

"Oh, come on, Rosalicious. You know that I couldn't resist your beauty."

"Yeah, like after you dumped her for another girl back at the prom many years ago." Trixie defensively stated back for Rose.

"Well, I don't know about you, but me and my dad are going to enjoy picking on you guys for LIFE!" Brad egotistically exclaimed as both him and his good-for-nothing father begin harassing the Longs and their friends, unbeknownst to them that four men are now approaching them.

"Này! Hai người kia! Hai người đang làm gì vậy?" (_Hey! You two! What are you doing?_)

Both Brad and his father turn around and realize that their imminent threats of act of harassment has caught the attention of four men. The first two men are wearing olive green uniform with a peaked cap of the same color. The Longs group easily finds out that the first two men are Vietnamese police officers, tasked to patrol the area for any signs of disturbance before the event. But it is the two remaining men that catch their attention. They are wearing full black uniform with a black beret and a bulletproof vest. Attached on the two men's shirt's left sleeve is a white brassard with the initial "MP" capitalized, bold and in black. But what makes them intimidating is that each of them carries an UMP-45 submachine gun with a vertical foregrip attached.

"Can you tell us what is going on here during the most important day of the year?" One of the Vietnamese police officer strictly asked in a very clear English.

Both Susan Long, Jake's mother, and Jonathan Long step towards the group of four men and promise that they will explain the situation. Upon hearing this, the four men immediately split into two groups, each of which consists of a Vietnamese police officer and a MP officer. The first group is tasked with getting the statements from the Longs and their friends, while the second group is in charge of keeping an eye out for the Mortons' shenanigans.

"So, what you are saying is that these two men were long-lasting rivals for both your family and your friends, and they were trying to picking on and harassing you, is that correct?" The Vietnamese police officer of the first group said, who states that his name is Sergeant Vũ Tâm Anh.

"Yes, that is correct, sir." Susan Long answered.

"Well, fortunately for you, we are reported to the scene of disturbance by two couples who are apparently witnessing the entire commotion." Said the first group's MP officer, now known as Corporal Dương Vạn Minh Dũng.

"As a matter of fact, one of them has recorded everything in the smartphone and showed it to us." Sergeant Vũ Tâm Anh explained.

"Oh, my goodness! Thank you so much for your help! We would have been hurt if it weren't for you four." Jonathan Long thanked them.

"No need to thank us, sir. It is our job to protect both the citizens and the tourists."

"But what are you going to do with them?" Jonathan asked while pointing at the Mortons.

"Well, our colleagues there will give them a little speech about morality and conscience, and a first and only warning to not repeat the same act again in our country."

"But what if they are going to do the same thing again?"

The two men think for a while and then: "Let's just say that we will give them an automatic deportation trip back to the United States as well as the regulated years of not coming to the country, if the two countries agree with the situation here."

"Well, for that, we can fully agree with."

"Absolutely, sir!"

And as expected, the Mortons reluctantly walk away while receiving the death glare from the city's inhabitants and the second group, probably from their obviously shown threats towards the Longs and their friends. It is at this point that the Mortons feel that they are actually very small and powerless in comparison with the people who will give them a good and hard lesson of respecting and not messing with other people from other countries.

"Well, that is taken care of. How about we resume our firework show, shall we?" Another Vietnamese police officer, known as Private Phạm Linh Quân, said alongside his partner, Sergeant Lương Việt Anh.

"Oh my gosh! It is only a minute left. Hurry up, guys. Quickly!" Susan Long exclaimed

Both of them quickly watch across the Perfume River towards the West Bank, and as they have done so, they hear the people surrounding them counting down towards midnight.

"10."

"9."

"8."

"7."

"6."

"5."

"4."

"3."

"2."

"1."

"0."

"CHÚC MỪNG NĂM MỚI!" (_HAPPY NEW YEAR!_)

The entire city's skyline is now erupted and colored by the sound of exploding fireworks and their beautiful and colorful display. For the Vietnamese people, it is the start of a New Spring. But for the Longs, their friends and the four officers that have saved them, it is the start of a new friendship between them.


End file.
